@ Your Library: Bookmobile ready to rock and roll

It’s official; your mobile library has arrived. Beaufort County residents will see, for the first time in decades, a bookmobile driving alongside them on the streets.

On May 22, the shiny blue bookmobile, with a big red bow affixed to the hood, parked in the lot of the Bluffton Branch Library and was introduced to the community.

Step aboard the 26-foot vehicle and you are greeted by a friendly bookmobile team. Amanda Brewer and Tracye Blue, two dedicated library employees, couldn’t be better suited to run the service.

Once inside, you’ll walk past a small checkout desk before you’re flanked by floor-to-ceiling shelves of colorful book spines, audiobooks, DVDs, educational Launchpad tablets and more.

Beaufort County residents who visit the bookmobile can apply for a free library card (just remember to bring a photo ID and proof of residency), check out and return materials, request items from branches, get assistance from an on-board librarian, connect to free Wi-Fi and more.

The bookmobile is wheelchair-accessible, offers heating and cooling, and even has a retractable awning for those beautiful sunny days. Its summer route includes nearly 40 stops, including Yemassee, Sheldon, Fort Fremont, Okatie, near Sea Pines and many other areas in between to bridge the distance between the library system’s brick-and-mortar branches.

Stops last 30 minutes to an hour per location. The route is biweekly and includes northern and southern Beaufort County stops each day.

For an up-to-date schedule and link to stops, please visit the library’s bookmobile page at BeaufortCountyLibrary.org/Bookmobile. Listen to our interesting “In Biblio Novitas” podcast episode where our librarians talk about the county’s bookmobile history, an interesting story that began more than 60 years ago.

The bookmobile’s full summer route begins June 5 and includes a visit to the Port Royal Farmers Market on June 17.

If you see us on the road, give us a wave, and if your schedule allows, follow us to our next destination.